Congressional Baseball Game Live Stream: Watch Republicans & Democrats Play For Charity

Play ball! Despite the horrific shooting that put Minority House Whip Steve Scalise in critical condition, the 2017 Congressional Baseball Game will go on as planned. The first pitch is set for 7:00 PM ET on June 15 so don’t miss it!

The 2017 Congressional Baseball Game for Charity should have been a joyous edition of Republicans and Democrats alike. It would have been a chance for these political rivals to put aside their differences aside and play a game of “America’s Favorite Pastime.” However, the June 14 shooting that injured five people – including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, has cast this game in a sad light. The GOP will unite with the Dems to play through their sadness and honor the victims of the shooting by “playing the game as scheduled.” So, members of congress will hit the field at Nationals Park in what may be the most emotional game of baseball of their entire lives.

“Basically we’re playing the game…We’re united not as Republicans and Democrats, but as United States Representatives,” Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, the manager of the Republican team, said ahead of the game, per USA Today. The annual charity game, which was first played in 1909, has become a major fundraising event. The game has raised millions of dollars in recent years, and the 2017 game will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, the Washington Nationals Dream Foundation, the Washington Literacy center and the Capital Police Memorial Fund. That last charity was added to the game after two Capitol Police officers – David Bailey and Crystal Griner – were injured in the June 14 attack.

The first pitch will be thrown out by British Ambassador Nigel Kim Darroch, according to AL.com. The Democrats team will feature such politicians as Linda Sanchez, Daniel Kildee, Ruben Kihuen, Jared Polis, and Timothy Walz. The Republican squad will have Senators Rand Paul and Jeff Flake, as well as Reps. Jack Bergman, Mo brooks, Steve Palazzo, and Roger Williams. The GOP team hopes to maintain their lead over the Dems, as the Republicans have won the game 42 times (as opposed to the Dems’ 39 victories.)

If the Republicans win, it might be the start of another winning streak. The GOP dominated the Congressional Baseball Game from 2001 to 2008, before the Dems went on a streak of their own. The Dems were undefeated from 2009 to 2015, until losing a close game in 2016. While all of Washington D.C. will be watching this game, one person who won’t be there in attendance is President Donald Trump, 71. “While the president would like to attend the game and show his support for all of these brave public servants, he has been advised that there is not enough time to follow Secret Service protocols,” Sean Spicer, 45, said on June 14.